Drinking Games
by FeanorusRex
Summary: In which Aegnor and Andreth test their alcohol tolerance.
1. Chapter 1

"Is this true?" Questioned Andreth, setting a large archaic volume on the table and turning it towards Aegnor.

"Can elves really imbibe as much alcohol as you wish and suffer no ill effects?"

He looked at the page, and saw a scholarly text saying something to this extent. It was evening and he was visiting Andreth, as he did so often.

"I do not think so…our race can be affected by posions, so I would guess that spirits could affect us, but perhaps to a lesser extent." Of course this would interest her, there is little in the world that did not.

"Oh," Andreth looked disappointed not to receive a definite answer. But then her face brightened. "Shall we test it?"

"You are suggesting that I consume a large quantity spirits, in order to prove a point?"

"Aegnor, my friend, of course not," Andreth looked at him shocked. "I am suggesting that we both consume a large quantity of spirits, in order to test a point."

"That is the most idiotic-"

"We can make it a game of sorts. To see which one of us possesses more stamina in this area."

Aegnor saw that she was determined, and it was an interesting question. Why not? His abilities in this particular area have never been tested. "What would the victor of this contest gain?"

"The defeated must do what the victor requests," Andreth replied. She was winning him over.

And, lured by this prospect, and in the pursuit of knowledge, they drank.

He expected to seem some change in her as they continued on, some of the usual symptoms of intoxication, but Andreth continued to seem quite lucid. She did not taunt him, as was customary in mortals' drinking contests. She poured and drank, with her face gravely serious.

"Who taught you to drink thus?"

"I have older brothers," she replied.

Aegnor saw that she meant to win, and, as she continued to empty her cup with no sign of stopping, that he had underestimated her. Immortal, and stronger in body he might have been, yet he had never participated in such games.

He could not remember consuming such great quantity of spirits in any time previous. Elves did not drink for the intoxicating effects, nor did they possess the reckless urge of men to imbibe potent liquids in shows of strength or masculinity.

Aegnor felt the wine coursing through his veins, numbing his reflexes, and his mind, and even his sharp sight. As he poured from the much lighter bottle, again- how many drinks had it been?- His vision momentarily split itself, and he saw two hands holding two bottles.

"I concede," he said, placing the bottle down. His mind was no longer wholly under his control, and the effect was disorienting and terrifying. Aegnor did not wish it to continue, no matter if he must concede, he did not care.

"What would you have me do?"

Now Andreth smiled, and her eyes flashed with victory.

"Kiss me," she said, placing her mug on the table, triumphantly. "I have oft wondered what it would be like to kiss an elf."

"What?" he cannot have heard her correctly. Are auditory hallucinations part of drunkenness? She repeated her command. It was the same.

A surprising command, but not a terrible one. Aegnor thought. He too had wondered what it would be like to kiss a mortal, although not in a general sense, he had wondered about her specifically.

Of course Aegnor had not allowed himself to dwell on these thoughts, dismissing them as idle fancy. But now, intoxicated, his mind is not as strict as he would like, and with her grinning at him, he wondered again.

"Oh," Andreth clarified, rolling her eyes, "not because I fancy you, I certainly do not, but who can say when I will next have an elf completely at my bidding?"

It still surprised him that to humans a kiss could mean so little, only a reward given to the victor of a contest. Another difference between their races: her kind gave their kisses- and so much more- to each other so easily.

"Wait-you are not married, are you?" Andreth asked.

Aegnor shook his head. This action, combined with standing up, which he did a moment later, caused him to feel as though his mind had detached itself from his body and was floating around the room. Mortals got drunk voluntarily, for enjoyment?

"Good," said Andreth, and he wondered if she meant good that he was not married so they could kiss or whether she was glad he was not married in a more general sense because she...He could not think clearly. Aegnor took a steadying breath, gripping the edge of the table for support, and his mind ceased its flight.

Andreth was standing as well, looking amazingly sober. She stepped towards him. "Well, my conquered, vanquished, defeated-"

"Yes, I take you meaning," he interrupted, knowing that she would never let him forget his loss. "Now be quiet if you wish me to do as you requested."

Andreth smirked up at him- but silently.

Resignedly, Aegnor leaned down and kissed tasted like wine, but not unpleasantly so, and he felt- something that he feared to name, doubtless it was intoxication and nothing more.

He pulled away- and nothing more.

"You have very lovely bone structure," stated Andreth. "Truly, it is almost sickening how attractive your face is." Her face was flushed, and the way she gazed at him, perhaps she was inebriated too, or perhaps-

But his trail of thought was cut short- as Andreth attempted to sit down again, but missed her chair, and slid onto the floor, and Aegnor helped her to stand, ignoring her protests that the floor was not too uncomfortable and that she would just stay here.

He left shortly there after, walking more or less in a straight line, finding his dwelling eventually, and falling asleep instantly.

In times previous, Aegnor had held nothing but respect for Arien, but the next morning, as her light streamed through his window- bright, too harshly bright- and he cursed the sun maiden bitterly.

It seemed that Andreth's book had been egregiously incorrect.

Besides the horrible light, his head and stomach ached. These must be headache and nausea so oft complained of by mortals; he had sympathized with them before, but he had never thought that he could experience these afflictions himself.

 _Mandos,_ he begged silently. _Forgive me my folly._ _Receive my soul, take me from this tortured existence._

And then, through pain, and the thirst- he had drunk so much, how can he possibly feel thirsty?- one thought pierced through Aegnor's aching mind. Andreth's words the previous night: You have very lovely bone structure.

 _Lovely bone structure._ He grinned.

 **Cover Image drawn by Filat**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Notes:** So comrades mine, I'm a sneaky author, because sometimes I say that a story is done and then I write more of it and it's a glorious surprise!

Andreth too woke up in pain. After this contest both parties would have asserted that theirs was the greater suffering. Aegnor, because he had had no previous experience with the after effects of alcohol, and Andreth simply because, though she had participated-and mostly won drinking contests before- she could not remember feeling this terrible in well, ever.

She was in her bed, which she could not even remember laying down in the previous night. _Ow,_ her mind whispered quietly. She vaguely remembered talking with, then drinking with Aegnor. She _vividly_ remembered kissing him. For a moment she forgot her pain, as she let her mind drift back to this incident. It had been a very nice kiss and she imagined what it would be like if he had kissed her of his own volition and for more than a moment…

Andreth rolled over in bed. _Stop_ , she ordered herself. She was way too hungover, and it was far too late in the day for her to be imagining this. But despite what she had told Aegnor last night, she did fancy him. Not in some doom filled, star crossed elf and human way, not with dieing or sacrificing immortality for the other person, she just found Aegnor exceptionally attractive, and would not mind kissing him again, for several hours perhaps.

She remembered how to move her legs, and got up. The bed sheets were tangled around her body and she almost fell onto the floor, for the second time in twenty four hours. While she might have excellent alcohol tolerance, she did not handle its aftereffects well.

At least she got her kiss, although that had not been her original intent. She had only wanted to win, and she would never have made that request while sober. Cringing, she remembered what she had said after. While it was true, he did have a beautiful face- indeed, the first time that she saw Aegnor, Andreth had fleetingly thought that she would follow him to the ends of the earth, then she realized that to do that would have represented the kind of rash lovesick decision making that she had oft derided, and decided that she would walk next to, or slightly in front of, him to the ends of the earth, should there be a convincing reason to do so- but still she was appalled that she would have voiced her thought out loud.

She walked into her kitchen, with the intent to make herself breakfast, deciding to choose hunger over the residual nausea she felt. The first thing that caught her eye was the book containing the information she and Aegnor had proved false last night. Andreth resolved to correct it later, adding their findings in the margin, although she will not mention either of their names. She would prefer to be remembered for being wise, _Saelind,_ as some already name her, than for her drinking stamina.

Their findings were not much, with only one test subject, and one kind of spirit, taken in one setting She would like to study this further, although she doubted many other elves would consent. At least it was a start.

Glancing at the floor, she noticed that something had been slid under her door while she slept. A letter with two flowers resting on top. Andreth picked both these things up, turning her attention to the flowers first.

A peony and and a sprig of fennel. The flowers standing for healing and congratulations. This was unmistakably Aegnor's doing. It was from him that she had learned the meanings the elves conveyed by sending different flowers.

 _Congratulations,_ because she had bested him. _Healing,_ because of its damages to her health. It was ridiculously pretentious, and according to human standards entirely the wrong response after a night of drinking. And yet it was so like him, a kind gesture, and he had given her _flowers._ Even though they did not symbolize romance, this thrilled her- but she was being ridiculous again.

She set the blossoms down and opened the letter.

 _Dear Andreth,_

 _It is hardly an exaggeration when I say that I have never felt worse in my life than I do this morning. I hope that you do not feel the same, although I fear that you may, as the after effects of alcohol seem to be universal among humans, and elves too apparently. At least we have discovered something in the name of science, and this is a small consolation._

 _While I did not get a chance to respond to your compliment last night regarding my bone structure, this was most gracious of you. I think that you have very nice facial structure as well._

 _Aegnor_

The entirety of the gesture was sweet, the fact that he both cared enough about how she was feeling, and the that he had taken the time to write this and collect the flowers despite experiencing the aftermaths of spirits for the first time. And the last sentence! She knew that Aegnor was not given to idle flattery and surely, if he had been discomfited by her statement then he would not have brought it up of his own volition, but there is his neat handwriting were the words, _I think that you have very nice facial structure as well._ Perhaps he too had studied her in profile while she was distracted with some other thing, as she had so often studied his.

She read them again, feeling ridiculously happy. A kiss, and a compliment, and only a wicked hangover in the way of payment.

Still, _I am never, ever drinking again,_ she resolved.

 **** **Author's Notes:**

Peonies and fennel do symbolize congratulations and healing respectively. Regarding elves and alcohol in canon, we do see a pair of them get drunk in The Hobbit, so it is possible for them to do so. They also can be negatively affected by things introduced into their bloodstreams (Aredhel, dying of poison) which included alcohol, I guess.


	3. An alternate ending! How cool!

Aegnor was hungover, and in Andreth's bed. The first fact was quite distressing, and he was not sure how he felt about the second.

The full gravity of the situation suddenly pressed down upon him. What had happened the previous night? Were they wed? He felt none of the connection that he would if he had wed another elf, but perhaps it would not exist with a human. He was still clothed in what he had been wearing the previous night, but if nothing had happened, then why was he here?

He tried to recall the events that had transpired, but even his sober mind's memories were damaged by the alcohol. There had been drinking, Andreth had won, he had kissed her, and then? The night was covered by a film of wine and headache. He bitterly cursed his former self. Why would anyone willingly consume such poison, to lose their grip on reality, and then suffer agony and amnesia the next morning?

But ignoring his physical sickness, back to this foreign bed and the woman sleeping next to him with her hair loose and one arm flung over her face. She appeared clothed as well, but still why-?

Movement jarred his head, splitting his vision into tiny pieces momentarily, but nevertheless Aegnor reached out and shook Andreth's shoulder. She opened her eyes, sat up, winced, layed back down and said confusedly, "Aegnor, what- why are you here? Wait..no, this was my doing. Last night we finished, I won if you remember, and you seemed quite unwell, so I let your rest here. I was in no condition to escort your back home, and you soon fell asleep." Andreth glanced at him. "I apologize, I see now that it is an awkward situation, but I was tired and the floor is uncomfortable, and this is a fairly large bed..." she faltered.

"Please, I do not mind," Aegnor said. So nothing had happened. He could not rightly say whether he was relieved or disappointed. Relieved, obviously. He did not want to get married to Andreth, of course. "I trust you feel as terribly as I do?"

"Horribly yes," Andreth swung her legs over the side of the bed and rose. "I guess my book was wrong, if you are suffering too."

"How can you treat all these symptoms?" Aegnor asked, following suit. They walked out of her bedroom. Both light and sound seemed more intense than they should have been.

"There is nothing to be done, but drinking water helps, and eating- do you want breakfast?"

"Do not trouble yourself, I can leave," Aegnor said. What was the correct protocol after drinking yourself into oblivion and passing out in the other's bed? Surely he would owe her breakfast? He offered this, but Andreth replied that it was her kitchen, and her fault in the first place, as she had suggested their contest, as so he acquiesced, and sat down, at the same place he had the previous night.

It occurred to Aegnor that this morning contained all of the elements that would follow a unplanned night spent with someone else- the uncertainty and awkwardness felt upon waking up next to the other, and breaking their fast together- besides the physical action, of course.

And despite the fact that it felt like he had nearly died of poisoning, Aegnor was happy. Last night had been enjoyable because he had been with Andreth, and he found himself smiling at her as she moved about the kitchen.

"After I beat you last night, what did I have you do- I forgot," Andreth asked as she set their plates down.

"Well," he hesitated. "You asked me to kiss you."

"I do not think that I did- oh, ugh, yes. Sorry. I do not know what I was thinking, the effects of drink- I apologize."

"And how did I compare?"

"In what?"

"You said that you wanted to know how it felt to kiss an elf as opposed to a human. So, how was it?" This was flirting, maybe, possibly. He did not know why he was speaking in this manner. After he leaves Andreth's house today Aegnor could forget all this oddness. But he still wanted to hear her answer.

"Fine," she said levelly. "No really difference. Honestly, all the other women I have heard wishing for the very same thing would be quite disappointed." Andreth grinned at him, no longer embarrassed. Aegnor had run out of clever responses and said nothing. They eat.

Andreth was right about food, for Aegnor felt slightly better. At least his mind no longer felt detached from his body. He persuaded her to let him wash their plates- after all he had agreed to their contest- thanked her, and then made to leave.

"Wait, before you leave, could you sort of neaten your hair?"

Aegnor ran his hands over the top of his head, finding that it was mussed from sleep. Hair escaped from his braids, and he will have to carefully undo them later, or the strands will tangle around themselves irrevocably. For now he smoothed it down as best he could. He made to ask her why, Andreth's hair was messy too although it leant her a sort of dishevelled grace- anyway- but then it struck him. It was bad enough that he may be spotted leaving Andreth's house far earlier than could be excused by a social visit, but to be seen leaving her house while visibly rumpled, well. He attempted to straighten his clothes too. There were many who already think that there was something between Andreth and he, and Aegnor did not wish to add fuel to their suspicions.

Andreth, conscious of this also, walked to her door ahead of him and stuck her head out. Seeing no one, she pulled it fully open. "Well, this was- interesting. Shall we be drinking partners for life then?"

"Yes," Aegnor agreed and they shake on it. He had considered swearing off alcohol forever after this, but if he was hungover with her, it would not be so bad.


End file.
